Women self help groups to manage mid-day meal in Orissa

Bhubaneswar,May 10 (UNI) The mid-day meal scheme in all the primary schools in Orissa will be henceforth managed by women self help groups.

A decision in this regard was taken at a review meeting of the Mission Shakti, presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. At present 3,30,933 women self help groups were operating in the state.

Official sources said after judging the better management of the mid-day meal scheme operated by the women self help groups in 40,000 primary schools, the state government has decided to entrust the entire mid-day meal operation in the primary schools these groups.

It was also decided to give Rs 5000 to each of the one lakh women self help groups who were sick to make them economically viable The groups would also be now engaged in preventing the infant mortality, eradicating malaria and nutritional programme in close association with the Anganwadis in the villages.

The government has also decided to establish training-cum-production centre in each Gram Panchayat for the women self help groups and construct pacca houses for all the Anganwadi centres in 6234 Gram Panchayats, fund for which would be sought from the 13th Finance Commission.